Kord (Greyhawk)

In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and the default pantheon of deities for the third and fourth editions of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, Kord is the Suel god of Athletics, Sports, Storms, Brawling, Strength, and Courage. His symbol is an eight-pointed star composed of spears and maces.

Publication history

Lenard Lakofka created Kord.^{[citation needed]}

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)

Kord was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), by Gary Gygax.^[1]

Kord was further detailed by Lenard Lakofka in Dragon #87 (1984), in the article Gods of the Suel Pantheon.^[2]

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)

Kord was one of the deities described in the From the Ashes set (1992), for the Greyhawk campaign,^[3] and appeared again in Greyhawk: The Adventure Begins (1998).^[4]

Kord is described as one of the good deities that celestials can serve in the supplement Warriors of Heaven (1999).^[5]

Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)

Kord appears as one of the deities described in the Players Handbook for this edition (2000).^[6] Kord's role in the 3rd edition Greyhawk setting was defined in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000).^[7]

Kord is also detailed in Deities and Demigods (2002).^[8]

Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)

Kord appears in the revised Players Handbook for this edition (2003).^[9] His priesthood is detailed for this edition in Complete Divine (2004).^[10]

Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008-)

Kord appears as one of the deities described in the Players Handbook for this edition (2008).^[11] In this edition of D&D, the symbol of Kord was changed to a fist holding a bolt of lightning with a greatsword projecting upwards out of the fist. Kord is now an unaligned god.

Description

Kord is depicted as a hugely muscular man with a red beard and long red hair. He wears a fighting girdle made from a red dragon's hide, gauntlets from a white dragon's hide, and boots from a blue dragon's hide. He wields the greatsword Kelmar in battle. Kord is sometimes depicted by his urbanized faithful as a more civilized athlete or wrestler.

Relationships

Kord is the son of Phaulkon and Syrul, and the grandson of Lendor. He is a foe of dragonkind, especially lawful evil dragons. Kord's favorite heralds are titans. His allies include eladrin and huge earth elementals.

Realm

Kord's petitioners dwell in the Hall of the Valiant on Ysgard's first layer, a grand hall made of stout wood where there's always a feast - or a wrestling match.

Dogma

“The strong and fit should lead the weaker. Bravery is the greatest quality in any ruler. Scorn cowardice.”

Worshippers

Kord is the most popular of Suel deities, and his followers are found throughout the Barbarian States of the Thillonrian Peninsula, northern Ulek, Keoland, Almor, Aerdy, Hepmonaland, the Amedio Jungle, Lendore Isle, and in the Bandit Kingdom city of Alhaster.

Clergy

Holy days, temples, and rituals

Temples to Kord are most common in the Barbarian States of the Thillonrian Peninsula and other temples to the Brawler can be found in Alhaster and throughout Keoland. One of the most prominent temples, known as the Hall of the Mighty, was founded by a young cleric from the barbarian state of Vika named Yav Lightbringer; the same cleric who eventually became the High Priest of Kord. Incredibly devoted to Kord and his ideals, Yav spent a majority of his life distributing a leaflet which brought many men and women to worship Kord.

References

Additional reading

• Brown, Anne. Player's Guide to Greyhawk (TSR, 1998).
• Conforti, Steven, ed. Living Greyhawk Official Listing of Deities for Use in the Campaign, version 2.0. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2005. Available online:
• Grubb, Jeff, David Noonan, and Bruce Cordell. Manual of the Planes. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.
• Gygax, Gary. World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1983.
• Gygax, Gary, and Frank Mentzer. The Temple of Elemental Evil (TSR, 1985).
• Holian, Gary, Erik Mona, Sean K. Reynolds, and Frederick Weining. Living Greyhawk Gazetteer. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000.
• Lakofka, Lenard. "Gods of the Suel Pantheon." Dragon #87. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1984.
• McComb, Colin. On Hallowed Ground. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1996.
• Moore, Roger E. The Adventure Begins. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1998.
• Noonan, David. Complete Divine. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2004.
• Perkins, Christopher. Warriors of Heaven. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1999.
• Redman, Rich, Skip Williams, and James Wyatt. Deities and Demigods. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
• Reynolds, Sean K. The Scarlet Brotherhood (TSR, 1999).
• Sargent, Carl. From the Ashes. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1992.
• Tweet, Johnathan, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams. Player's Handbook. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000.
• -----. Player's Handbook Core Rulebook I v.3.5. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2003.
• Living Greyhawk Journal no. 3 - "Gods of Oerth"